Colchester United's promotion-winning captain Richard Wilkins has been taken off the transfer list.

The news comes little more than a week after the resignation of former boss Mick Wadsworth whose treatment of the Layer Road hero towards the end of last season forced Wilkins to request a transfer in the first place.

Wilkins said: "Coming off the list is like having a large cloud removed from over my head. I didn't want to leave in the first place, but Mick Wadsworth made it clear last season I was not going to figure in his plans."

Wilkins' assessment of the situation was further highlighted at the start of the season by the fact he was only handed the squad number 17 and was clearly not in Wadsworth's original starting line-up.

It is testament to Wilkins' undoubted professionalism and loyalty to the U's that he forced his way back into the reckoning with his 100 per cent performances.

Meanwhile, U's player-coach Geraint Williams is facing the prospect of keyhole surgery after missing the first month of the new season with a knee injury.

The U's away game, which was scheduled for Wigan's new Robin Park Stadium on Saturday, was postponed because Wigan have players on international duty.

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